Truss-pad.



No. 640,454 Patented Jan. 2, 1900. G. DONOVAN.

TRUSS PAD.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 1898.)

[No Model.)

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CORNELIUS DONOVAN, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

TRUSS PAD.

SPECIFECATION forming part of Letters lPatent No. 640,454, dated January2, 1900.

Application filed February 2 1, 1898. Serial No. 671,519. (No model.)

To ctZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Consumes Donovan, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at No. 2227 "West Fourteenth street, in the city ofNew York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulSoft llernial "Pad, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a soft hernial pad to be attached to trusses;and the object of my improvement is to produce a soft hernial pad whichwill lessen the trouble and pain of the ruptured wearer by holding backthe hernia without unnecessary friction or chafing and with less troubleto the wearer than the her nial pads now in use. I obtain this result bya combination illustrated in the accompanying drawings, submittedherewith and made a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows the entire pad, displaying all its parts, each part beingdesignated by a letter. Fig. 2 is a front View of the pad. Fig. 3 is arear view of the pad. Fig. 4 is a View of the part of the pad to whichmy invention relates, separate and apart from the rest of the pad.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout all the views.

A rubber pouch A, one half of which, forming a head or bottom, isfastened to an ovalshaped fiat layer of felt or other soft material D,Figs. 2 and a, by rubber cement, the other half of the pouch being thenfilled with water or air by means of a rubber tube F, the place offastening or attachment of said pouch to the felt or other soft materialbeing indicated on accompanying drawings by letter 1, Figs. 1, 2, and 1.Said rubber pouch when cemented to the base D and filled forms ahalfsphere A, (in figures shown,) but may be of different shape,Figs. 1,2, and 4,therc being an aperture in said base D about its center for thepassage of a small rubber tube F, Fig. 4. This base D is held in placeand in shape by two thin brass plates 0 and E, fastened together,smaller in size than the base D and of nearly similar shape, Fig. 1, andalso another oval-shaped piece of felt or other soft material,corresponding in size and shape and being of similar material asaforesaid base D, which is sewed to the first-described base D andcovers the aforementioned brass plates 0 and E, Fig. 1, and being usedas filling, this layer of filling beingin turn supported by a thirdbrass plate B, Figs. 1 and 3, being the back of the pad and being ofnearly same size as first-described plates (3 and E, its edges beingturned slightly inward, so that when all parts of the pad are fastenedtogether the base D and filling D extend slightly be yond the brassplates and back at all points, Fig. This third plate or back is fastenedto the interior plates 0 and E by two screws G and J, which screws passthrough the layer of filling D, fastening in the interior plates O andE, Fig. 1. This gives a stable body to the pad. A collet H, having around head, is fastened to this exterior brass plate or backB, by whichthe pad is clamped to the truss, Fig. 1. This collet permits the pad tooscillate with the pressure from the abdomen.

The pouch is filled and emptied by means of a rubber tube F, whichpasses through the interior brass plates 0 and E and the filling andbase D and D and is securely inclosed within and covered and protectedby the exterior brass plate B, this tube being closed by beingcompressed with a piece of rubber tubing after filling the pouch. Theentire pad, except the outer brass plate B and the collet H, is theninclosed in a cover of silk or other suitable material, which is caughtand fastened under the edges of the brass backB.

I am aware that prior to myinveution hernial pads have been made fromdifferent conibinations; but I claim that no previous combination of arubber pouch of diiferent shapes, one half of which is attached to abase of felt or other soft material by rubber-cement and the other halfthen filled with water or air, has heretofore been patented.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a hernial pad, the combination with a base composed of twosections of soft material placed face to face, of stiffcning platesscoured to the respective sections and connected to each other, and apouch attached to the exterior of one of said sections.

2. The herein-described hernial pad, comprising two seetions of softmaterial placed in superposed relation, stiffening-plates bc-- tweensaid sections, said plates being con nected to the respective sectionsand fastened together, an inflatable pouch secured to one of thesections of the base, an inflating-tube extending from the pouch throughthe basesections, a plate covering the mouth of said tube, and screwsconnecting said plate to the stiffening-plates. 1

3. In a hernial pad, the combination with a base composed of twosuperposed sections of soft or yielding material, of a stiffener locatedbetween said sections, an inflatable pouch secured to one of saidbase-sections, an inflatingtube extending from the pouch through thebase-sections, and a closure for the outer end of said tube.

4. In a hernial pad, the combination with a

